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going the distance
Olivia Clarke’s fall from pretty, perfect and popular happened in an instant. With her life in tatters, she impulsively accepts a teaching job in the small city of Lazhou, China. Three months in, she’s ready to admit she made a huge mistake. She doesn’t speak Mandarin, the teachers at her school refuse to include her in anything, and she spends her nights watching counterfeit DVDs in her twin bed. Alone.
Jarek McLean is a loner. He’s not looking for friends, and he’s definitely not looking for love. The former army interrogator works as a carpenter for a small construction company rebuilding a travel office in Lazhou. When he meets Olivia he knows immediately she’s too wholesome to be his type, but when he discovers the pretty kindergarten teacher is hiding a secret, his inquisitive side rears its nosy head and demands answers.
Olivia isn’t interested in a one-sided interrogation, and makes her position clear: if Jarek wants to ask questions, he’ll have to answer some, too. Jarek’s never let anyone in—not into his apartment, not into his life, certainly not into his heart. But the closer he gets to Olivia, the more he falls for her, and suddenly the man who doesn’t do relationships finds himself in a most unexpected one. When he reluctantly admits that this could be love, he’s faced with the most terrifying question of all: What the hell does he do now?
Jarek McLean is a loner. He’s not looking for friends, and he’s definitely not looking for love. The former army interrogator works as a carpenter for a small construction company rebuilding a travel office in Lazhou. When he meets Olivia he knows immediately she’s too wholesome to be his type, but when he discovers the pretty kindergarten teacher is hiding a secret, his inquisitive side rears its nosy head and demands answers.
Olivia isn’t interested in a one-sided interrogation, and makes her position clear: if Jarek wants to ask questions, he’ll have to answer some, too. Jarek’s never let anyone in—not into his apartment, not into his life, certainly not into his heart. But the closer he gets to Olivia, the more he falls for her, and suddenly the man who doesn’t do relationships finds himself in a most unexpected one. When he reluctantly admits that this could be love, he’s faced with the most terrifying question of all: What the hell does he do now?
Unknown Binding
First published January 27, 2015
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641 people want to read
About the author
Julianna Keyes
15 books704 followersJulianna Keyes is a Canadian writer who has lived on both coasts and several places in between. She's been skydiving, bungee jumping and white water rafting, but nothing thrills - or terrifies - her as much as the blank page. She loves Chinese food, foreign languages, baseball and television, not necessarily in that order, and will go to her grave swearing that 'ain't' is not a word. She has volunteered in Zambia, taught English in China, and dreams of seeing pink dolphins in the Amazon. It'll happen.
She also writes happily offbeat thrillers as Elaine Murphy.
She also writes happily offbeat thrillers as Elaine Murphy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
June 9, 2021
5 Not What You’re Looking for Stars ⭐
Going the Distance was an honest and raw depiction of real life dating. Don’t expect hearts or roses, because this was wonderfully imperfect.
Jarek and Olivia are two foreigners temporarily working in rural China. Olivia is fleeing from a bad breakup and Jarek avoids relationships like the plague. Yet from the moment they meet, they're together. Loneliness may be the initial motivator; however, chemistry keeps them coming back for more.
They settle into a routine of running, hanging out and sex. No sleepovers, no commitment, no titles. Although a mutual arrangement, when something is this easy and great, you’re bound to fall hard.
“I don’t have any condoms,” she said softly, sliding a hand down to cup the erection straining at the front of his track pants.
He winced. “Me either.”
“You have two hands and a mouth, right?” he asked finally.
She burst out laughing against his lips. “That’s really sweet, Jarek. Have you been working on that for a while?”
Both characters were standout. You may want to beat the stubbornness out of Jarek, but he was all man. Humble, grumpy, emotionally flawed and a beast in the bedroom. Honestly the guy didn't know how to process feelings, fortunately he recognised Olivia's worth.
“It’s the opposite of terrible, Liv. You feel so fucking good. All over. You’re the best thing I’ve ever felt.”
As for Olivia she was one of my most favourite heroines I've read in a long while. Such a Queen. Scared yet brave. She rolled with the punches and gave back in equal measure. Jarek didn't stand a chance. He would have been a fool to let her go, even though he tried...
This was such a fantastic story. It was romantic fiction at its finest. Totally realistic, awkward, humorous and seductive. Jarek and Olivia are what you would expect if fuck buddies were going to eventually navigate a lasting relationship. Complicated but worth it. I can't recommend enough!
Going the Distance was an honest and raw depiction of real life dating. Don’t expect hearts or roses, because this was wonderfully imperfect.
Jarek and Olivia are two foreigners temporarily working in rural China. Olivia is fleeing from a bad breakup and Jarek avoids relationships like the plague. Yet from the moment they meet, they're together. Loneliness may be the initial motivator; however, chemistry keeps them coming back for more.
They settle into a routine of running, hanging out and sex. No sleepovers, no commitment, no titles. Although a mutual arrangement, when something is this easy and great, you’re bound to fall hard.
“I don’t have any condoms,” she said softly, sliding a hand down to cup the erection straining at the front of his track pants.
He winced. “Me either.”
“You have two hands and a mouth, right?” he asked finally.
She burst out laughing against his lips. “That’s really sweet, Jarek. Have you been working on that for a while?”
Both characters were standout. You may want to beat the stubbornness out of Jarek, but he was all man. Humble, grumpy, emotionally flawed and a beast in the bedroom. Honestly the guy didn't know how to process feelings, fortunately he recognised Olivia's worth.
“It’s the opposite of terrible, Liv. You feel so fucking good. All over. You’re the best thing I’ve ever felt.”
As for Olivia she was one of my most favourite heroines I've read in a long while. Such a Queen. Scared yet brave. She rolled with the punches and gave back in equal measure. Jarek didn't stand a chance. He would have been a fool to let her go, even though he tried...
This was such a fantastic story. It was romantic fiction at its finest. Totally realistic, awkward, humorous and seductive. Jarek and Olivia are what you would expect if fuck buddies were going to eventually navigate a lasting relationship. Complicated but worth it. I can't recommend enough!
July 27, 2021
*Clears her throat* I confess I don't have a dick, so after reading this I have a question to friends who have dicks or know more about dicks. Here I go:
Is it possible to sustain an erection for 2 hours and 25 minutes? Like, the duration of the movie Love actually? Because the main guy here did it. Was the girl naked or something? NOP, she was just there, normally dressed and even injured so yeah, does this dude have a problem or what? 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
At this point I was tired of reading about the guy being horny and tired about the girl being meh, I mean she didn't even liked the guy but she kissed him anyways? Like I don't know and the energy of the book didn't help either *sighs*, I'm old for this shit.
Peace out. ✌🏼❤
Is it possible to sustain an erection for 2 hours and 25 minutes? Like, the duration of the movie Love actually? Because the main guy here did it. Was the girl naked or something? NOP, she was just there, normally dressed and even injured so yeah, does this dude have a problem or what? 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
At this point I was tired of reading about the guy being horny and tired about the girl being meh, I mean she didn't even liked the guy but she kissed him anyways? Like I don't know and the energy of the book didn't help either *sighs*, I'm old for this shit.
Peace out. ✌🏼❤
March 4, 2021
**** 4.5 stars ****
What a gem!
Usually, the tone dictated by the third person gives me a sense of detachment from the characters and it takes me a while to warm up to them. Soon enough I was totally invested in this story though.
I loved this! 💘
I loved how genuine the build-up of their relationship felt.💖
I loved the setting in China.💘
I loved Olivia and Jarek.💖
Olivia was a darling, a strong woman trying to start over. She was hurting and lonely when she met Jarek, the jerk. 😏
Jarek was the kind of asshole I like to read about in my fiction.
Sullen, jealous and dark, he made me gasp affronted so many times!
How dare you, Jarek- The jerk?? Ugh.
But then, every time his grumpiness made an appearance giving us a glimpse of his oh-so protected heart, I couldn't resist. 🥰 Not to mention the banter he had on a roll with his gossip friends.
The key to this tremendous success was the dual POV.
Getting inside both MCs heads gave us two complex perspectives, with dimensional characters.
I really don't get how this book has so few reviews.🤷♀️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...?
☝☝☝ This is a much better review for anyone who is interested.
What a gem!
Usually, the tone dictated by the third person gives me a sense of detachment from the characters and it takes me a while to warm up to them. Soon enough I was totally invested in this story though.
I loved this! 💘
I loved how genuine the build-up of their relationship felt.💖
I loved the setting in China.💘
I loved Olivia and Jarek.💖
Olivia was a darling, a strong woman trying to start over. She was hurting and lonely when she met Jarek, the jerk. 😏
Jarek was the kind of asshole I like to read about in my fiction.
Sullen, jealous and dark, he made me gasp affronted so many times!
How dare you, Jarek- The jerk?? Ugh.
But then, every time his grumpiness made an appearance giving us a glimpse of his oh-so protected heart, I couldn't resist. 🥰 Not to mention the banter he had on a roll with his gossip friends.
The key to this tremendous success was the dual POV.
Getting inside both MCs heads gave us two complex perspectives, with dimensional characters.
I really don't get how this book has so few reviews.🤷♀️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...?
☝☝☝ This is a much better review for anyone who is interested.
May 12, 2021
What amazing story. This was a maturity relationship between them.
It’s worth the reading.
It’s worth the reading.
January 31, 2021
This book kept me up ALL NIGHT.
Such a rare thing these days, distractions often intrude on my reading time but not with this story. These characters. This writing. Underrated author alert!
I don't like to compare authors but Julianna Keyes' style reminded me a lot of Cara McKenna's. The edgy characters, the genuine conversations and development between Olivia and Jarek, the slow paced evolution of their relationship.
I felt literally hooked and invested in cracking open Jarek's emotional vault. I want to say this man was borderline an A-hole though there wasn't anything borderline about it come to think of it. He was simply a jerk throughout the book, which made all the unexpected little cracks in his armor and glimpses of his insecurities such a treat.
Olivia was admirable in her own way, she starts out as insecure, trying to overcome her fears only to demonstrate she's actually tenacious and brave. A nice and sweet lady but never a pushover.
I want to say both characters were extraordinary but actually they weren't. It's probably what grounded me to this story to begin with. Miscommunication is often a huge pet peeve of mine in romance and here it was always used with the intent to make them both grow individually and as a couple.
As dysfonctionnal their relationship may have started, it was one of the healthiest depicted that I've read in a romance in a while.
If you enjoy an alpha on the tortured side and a sweet heroine who gives as much as she takes, a relatively safe level of angst and steamy sex scenes, this one could very well surprise you.
I went to bed at 6AM and it was so worth it. I LOVED IT.
Going the Distance by Julianna Keyes
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
Such a rare thing these days, distractions often intrude on my reading time but not with this story. These characters. This writing. Underrated author alert!
I don't like to compare authors but Julianna Keyes' style reminded me a lot of Cara McKenna's. The edgy characters, the genuine conversations and development between Olivia and Jarek, the slow paced evolution of their relationship.
I felt literally hooked and invested in cracking open Jarek's emotional vault. I want to say this man was borderline an A-hole though there wasn't anything borderline about it come to think of it. He was simply a jerk throughout the book, which made all the unexpected little cracks in his armor and glimpses of his insecurities such a treat.
Olivia was admirable in her own way, she starts out as insecure, trying to overcome her fears only to demonstrate she's actually tenacious and brave. A nice and sweet lady but never a pushover.
I want to say both characters were extraordinary but actually they weren't. It's probably what grounded me to this story to begin with. Miscommunication is often a huge pet peeve of mine in romance and here it was always used with the intent to make them both grow individually and as a couple.
As dysfonctionnal their relationship may have started, it was one of the healthiest depicted that I've read in a romance in a while.
If you enjoy an alpha on the tortured side and a sweet heroine who gives as much as she takes, a relatively safe level of angst and steamy sex scenes, this one could very well surprise you.
I went to bed at 6AM and it was so worth it. I LOVED IT.
Going the Distance by Julianna Keyes
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
May 9, 2021
ғᴏᴜʀ ⅓ sᴛᴀʀs ✰
ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʀᴇᴄ 🎬 ~ Red Riding Hood (2006)
-ˏ͛⑅ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ⑅ˏ͛-
Going the Distance may have been my first Julianna Keyes book, but it most certainly will not be my last. GOING THE DISTANCE, in a word (okay more like "in a phrase," but. . . still)?
This story felt very rough around the edges, but in the best way possible. Olivia and Jarek were messy, lonely, flawed, and real individuals. Their love story progressed in such an honest way, and I truly loved the way in which Olivia had zero shits to give, while Jarek found himself unwittingly falling head over heels for her.
Basically, this book was the realistic version of what happens when a self proclaimed "asshole" falls in love.
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ⑅ˏ͛-
We have our heroine, Olivia Clarke. She made the impulsive decision to accept a teaching job in the small city of Lazhou, China. Three months into her stay and she appears to be way in over her head. She's lonely, out of her depth, and can still feel her past haunting her.
Jarek is a brooding, mysterious, kind of an asshole, loner. When the two meet. . . sparks sorta fly. They both feel a connection towards the one another, but Olivia makes it clear that she's not going to take his BS. As the year progresses they find themselves coming to care more and more about one another. But what happens when their time in China comes to an end?
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ -ˏ͛⑅
✿ ᴏʟɪᴠɪᴀ // ᴊᴀʀᴇᴋ ✿
I've gotta be honest, I - I did not expect to get as invested in Jarek & Olivia as I ended up becoming. GOING THE DISTANCE starts a bit slow. When Jarek and Olivia meet it's a bit hard to get a read on them as characters and as a "couple." Olivia in particular held her feelings pretty close to the vest. She'd clearly been burned badly in her past relationship and when she meets Jarek she's not really expecting much. Yet, this seemingly soft Kindergarten teacher had a backbone of steel.
I mean straight up Olivia told Jarek that sex with him was, and. I. quote. -
That's the kind of heroine Olivia was. She was flawed, kind, lonely, and brave as hell. She knew what she deserved and didn't settle for less. Essentially, she was a true badass bitch.
Meanwhile, Jarek was. . . well to put it plainly Jarek was a huge fucking asshole. No seriously, he really was. There was something so. . . realistic about the kind of asshole Jarek was as well. He was unapologetic about it, he wasn't that way because he was hiding some sort of trauma, he was just a bit of an a-hole. He saw it, acknowledged it, and before Olivia, was very indifferent to it.
Then he met Olivia. You guys, my man was reluctantly smitten. Seriously, the minute he meets Olivia you can tell that he's going to fall hard. Personally, my favorite aspect of GOING THE DISTANCE was watching Jarek slowly soften and learn to care for Olivia. Also, as I said, my mans was smitten from the very second he caught Olivia running on that treadmill.
Another aspect of Jarek's character that I actually really liked was, well, his assholish behavior. Despite my roasting in the above paragraph, I kinda sorta appreciated his blunt assholery. Not only did it make watching him fall for Olivia even sweeter, but it also made his character growth that much better. See, by the end of the book Jarek is, well, okay he's still a bit of a dick, BUT, he's learned to accept that it's okay to allow other people to care about him. He's learned that it's okay to be the one getting asked questions instead of being the one whose always asking them.
Ultimately, Jarek & Olivia worked well separately and together. I loved seeing Olivia cautiously begin to fall for Jarek, and I just adored see Jarek reluctantly fall in love with Olivia.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ~ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ✿
GOING THE DISTANCE had one of the most realistic romances I have read about in quite a while. The way both Olivia and Jarek reluctantly fell for one another felt so true to life. Author, JULIANNA KEYES, did a fabulous job depicting the slow evolution of their romance. She showed the ups and downs, the growing pains, and perfectly demonstrated that innate fear we all have of putting our hearts on the line.
The romance between Olivia and Jarek was quiet. It wasn't explosive and it wasn't without its hiccups. For example, the sex. You know, usually in romancelandia the minute the hero/heroine meet they're having earth shaking, mind blowing, explosive-ass sex. However, in real life. . . HA. There's (usually) a definite awkwardness and there tends to be a bit of a learning curve. JULIANNA KEYES absolutely nailed that feeling when she wrote the earlier sex scenes between Jarek and Olivia. Olivia was vocally. . . unimpressed and it forced Jarek to up his game. I liked watching them slowly grow more comfortable with each other and actually work to make things better.
In addition, the progression of the romance was perfect. They start out pretty wary of each other, then they come together because, tbh, they were both really lonely, and then somewhere along the way they slowly just. . . become a couple. Moreover, I love how Olivia wasn't afraid to speak her mind about what she wanted from both Jarek, and their relationship. She called Jarek out when he was a dick *cough* him being a douchecanoe about calling her his girlfriend *cough* and when they had the typical "9th hour breakup" Olivia was realistic about it.
In summary, the romance in GOING THE DISTANCE was mother freaking beautiful. Jarek and Olivia worked for their love and it really shows. They both pushed one another to be the very best versions of themselves.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ~ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ✿
So, not only did GOING THE DISTANCE have a phenomenal romance, but it also greatly utilized its setting of Lazhou, China. Now. . . I'm not sure if the town of Lazhou is actually real (i mean there's a city called Lanzhou), but it sure as hell felt real. I thought JULIANA KEYES did a fabulous job capturing what it's like to be in a foreign country all by yourself. She perfectly evoked that sense of fear, wonderment, and everything else in between. I just love when authors really utilize the settings of their books. The settings themselves almost become a secondary character. TBH, this book made me want to sign up to teach English in some random countryside in China.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ~ sɪᴅᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ✿
Did I say that the romance was the best part of GOING THE DISTANCE? HAHA, no. Rose was. In fact, ALL of the students in Olivia's classroom were the best part of the book. Again, I loved the way JULIANA KEYES incorporated Olivia's job into GOING THE DISTANCE. It not only made for some great moments *cough* Red Riding Hood ft. Spiderman *cough*, but it also gave us a more well rounded view of Olivia's character. Also, Rose, Rose was the sweetest teacher's pet ever. She got me hype about pressing the button on the CD player, what a sticker worthy task ✨
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇʜ -ˏ͛⑅
✿ sʟᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ✿
As I mentioned earlier in the review one of my major ~niggles~ with GOING THE DISTANCE was the very slow start. It took me a full minute or two to get in the groove of the story. I needed a minute or five to really find the "path" that the book was going on. I was slow to warm up to the characters, I was slow to warm up to the overall mood of the book, and I was slow to finish it. It took me around five days to finish this book, which if you know me, is a lonnng time. If I like a book I'll read that bad boy in three days tops. However, I think once I got used to Olivia and Jarek's narration style and the overall ~ aesthetic ~ of GOING THE DISTANCE I was able to get lost in Lazhou, China right along side our MCs.
I guess this is more of a warning to anyone whose ~inspired~ by this review, and thus wants to go buy GOING THE DISTANCE. Just know, the beginning is a bit slow and it's not until about 10% in that the story truly captivates you. However, once you get into the story you will quickly become enamored with Jarek & Olivia's romance. Plus, Jarek is one of the best A-HOLE heroes I've had the pleasure of reading about in a long while.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ✿
Okay, let me preface this by saying, I liked the book, and the ending was fine. HOWEVER, however, I wanted more.
See, for the entire book Jarek and Olivia have pretty much been dating ~ except ~ Jarek was very reluctant to label or define their relationship. However, the best part is the entire time it's always been JAREK who kept progressing things. He would get jealous, or do nice things for her, or go on excursions with her. BUT THEN, he done goofs, hard. Let's just say Olivia overhears some things, and yeahhhh. I'm like 85% sure that was the main reason they call things off. Olivia then returns to the States, gets a teaching job, and is quite honestly. . . LiVinG hER bEst LiFE, as she should 😤👏✨. Jarek meanwhile manages to get his shit together and decides to go after her. They talk a little, he asks her on a real date, and the book finishes with them in an official relationship. the end.
NOW, what I described above is fine, quite honestly, it's nice, but at the same time I wanted a bit more. However, I actually wanted to see them as an official couple. This book ended on a definite HFN, and I think an epilogue would've tightened things up just a bit. Thus, this is another, well not warning, but another note. GOING THE DISTANCE doesn't have an epilogue and I think for this couple it would've been nice to see.
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴏɴ ⑅ˏ͛-
✿ ғɪɴᴀʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ✿
GOING THE DISTANCE was such surprise hit for me and I'm honestly surprised more people here on GR don't know about this book. If you like your heroes with a bit of an edge then look no further than Jarek. He's got the brooding down pat, he's a bit of an asshole *cough* okay more like a lot of an asshole *cough*, and watching him fall hard for Olivia is such a joy to witness. Moreover, Olivia is a pretty great heroine. While she's a bit hard to connect with (at first) once her whole backstory is revealed her inner strength becomes more apparent. Olivia isn't afraid to ask for what she wants, and more importantly she's a heroine who, and say it with me people -
*happy sighs* we love to see it! In addition, GOING THE DISTANCE expertly utilizes its setting. The town of Lazhou, China becomes an almost secondary character. I loved seeing Olivia navigate China as a foreigner and watching her come into her own was a beautiful thing to observe.
While there were a few things that didn't work for me (the slow start//my niggles about the ending) overall, I really liked GOING THE DISTANCE. Thus, I highly highly recommend that you guys check it out! PLUS, it's only two dollars and ninety-nine cents, ~what a bargain~
❝You remember what I said to you that first night when you kissed me?❞
❝If I’m not mistaken, you squealed like a pig and ran away crying, ❛I hate girls!❜❞
ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʀᴇᴄ 🎬 ~ Red Riding Hood (2006)
-ˏ͛⑅ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ⑅ˏ͛-
Going the Distance may have been my first Julianna Keyes book, but it most certainly will not be my last. GOING THE DISTANCE, in a word (okay more like "in a phrase," but. . . still)?
soul piercing ✨
This story felt very rough around the edges, but in the best way possible. Olivia and Jarek were messy, lonely, flawed, and real individuals. Their love story progressed in such an honest way, and I truly loved the way in which Olivia had zero shits to give, while Jarek found himself unwittingly falling head over heels for her.
Basically, this book was the realistic version of what happens when a self proclaimed "asshole" falls in love.
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ⑅ˏ͛-
sɪᴅᴇ ɴᴏᴛᴇ ▸//▸ GOING THE DISTANCE has a mild Lost in Translation vibe.
We have our heroine, Olivia Clarke. She made the impulsive decision to accept a teaching job in the small city of Lazhou, China. Three months into her stay and she appears to be way in over her head. She's lonely, out of her depth, and can still feel her past haunting her.
that all changes when she meets loner Jarek McLean.
Jarek is a brooding, mysterious, kind of an asshole, loner. When the two meet. . . sparks sorta fly. They both feel a connection towards the one another, but Olivia makes it clear that she's not going to take his BS. As the year progresses they find themselves coming to care more and more about one another. But what happens when their time in China comes to an end?
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ -ˏ͛⑅
『 Love was a feeling, not a guarantee, and she wasn’t willing to open her heart to someone who couldn’t—wouldn’t—open his. 』
✿ ᴏʟɪᴠɪᴀ // ᴊᴀʀᴇᴋ ✿
I've gotta be honest, I - I did not expect to get as invested in Jarek & Olivia as I ended up becoming. GOING THE DISTANCE starts a bit slow. When Jarek and Olivia meet it's a bit hard to get a read on them as characters and as a "couple." Olivia in particular held her feelings pretty close to the vest. She'd clearly been burned badly in her past relationship and when she meets Jarek she's not really expecting much. Yet, this seemingly soft Kindergarten teacher had a backbone of steel.
I mean straight up Olivia told Jarek that sex with him was, and. I. quote. -
❝Fine.❞
That's the kind of heroine Olivia was. She was flawed, kind, lonely, and brave as hell. She knew what she deserved and didn't settle for less. Essentially, she was a true badass bitch.
Meanwhile, Jarek was. . . well to put it plainly Jarek was a huge fucking asshole. No seriously, he really was. There was something so. . . realistic about the kind of asshole Jarek was as well. He was unapologetic about it, he wasn't that way because he was hiding some sort of trauma, he was just a bit of an a-hole. He saw it, acknowledged it, and before Olivia, was very indifferent to it.
Then he met Olivia. You guys, my man was reluctantly smitten. Seriously, the minute he meets Olivia you can tell that he's going to fall hard. Personally, my favorite aspect of GOING THE DISTANCE was watching Jarek slowly soften and learn to care for Olivia. Also, as I said, my mans was smitten from the very second he caught Olivia running on that treadmill.
Jarek be like the entire book
Another aspect of Jarek's character that I actually really liked was, well, his assholish behavior. Despite my roasting in the above paragraph, I kinda sorta appreciated his blunt assholery. Not only did it make watching him fall for Olivia even sweeter, but it also made his character growth that much better. See, by the end of the book Jarek is, well, okay he's still a bit of a dick, BUT, he's learned to accept that it's okay to allow other people to care about him. He's learned that it's okay to be the one getting asked questions instead of being the one whose always asking them.
Ultimately, Jarek & Olivia worked well separately and together. I loved seeing Olivia cautiously begin to fall for Jarek, and I just adored see Jarek reluctantly fall in love with Olivia.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ~ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ✿
❝Of course I’d help you,❞ he said, stroking her ponytail. ❝I love y—❞
GOING THE DISTANCE had one of the most realistic romances I have read about in quite a while. The way both Olivia and Jarek reluctantly fell for one another felt so true to life. Author, JULIANNA KEYES, did a fabulous job depicting the slow evolution of their romance. She showed the ups and downs, the growing pains, and perfectly demonstrated that innate fear we all have of putting our hearts on the line.
The romance between Olivia and Jarek was quiet. It wasn't explosive and it wasn't without its hiccups. For example, the sex. You know, usually in romancelandia the minute the hero/heroine meet they're having earth shaking, mind blowing, explosive-ass sex. However, in real life. . . HA. There's (usually) a definite awkwardness and there tends to be a bit of a learning curve. JULIANNA KEYES absolutely nailed that feeling when she wrote the earlier sex scenes between Jarek and Olivia. Olivia was vocally. . . unimpressed and it forced Jarek to up his game. I liked watching them slowly grow more comfortable with each other and actually work to make things better.
In addition, the progression of the romance was perfect. They start out pretty wary of each other, then they come together because, tbh, they were both really lonely, and then somewhere along the way they slowly just. . . become a couple. Moreover, I love how Olivia wasn't afraid to speak her mind about what she wanted from both Jarek, and their relationship. She called Jarek out when he was a dick *cough* him being a douchecanoe about calling her his girlfriend *cough* and when they had the typical "9th hour breakup" Olivia was realistic about it.
『 She had never tried to keep him out, she realized. For all his effort at warning her away, his certainty that he was the mythical big bad wolf, she’d seen him as the boy dressed up in scowls and glares and intimidation, and never the villain he imagined himself to be. He’d spent so long trying not to be someone else that he failed to see who he was. Who he could be. She wasn’t angry so much as she was disappointed. In him. For him. 』
In summary, the romance in GOING THE DISTANCE was mother freaking beautiful. Jarek and Olivia worked for their love and it really shows. They both pushed one another to be the very best versions of themselves.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ~ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ✿
36.0611° N, 103.8343° E
So, not only did GOING THE DISTANCE have a phenomenal romance, but it also greatly utilized its setting of Lazhou, China. Now. . . I'm not sure if the town of Lazhou is actually real (i mean there's a city called Lanzhou), but it sure as hell felt real. I thought JULIANA KEYES did a fabulous job capturing what it's like to be in a foreign country all by yourself. She perfectly evoked that sense of fear, wonderment, and everything else in between. I just love when authors really utilize the settings of their books. The settings themselves almost become a secondary character. TBH, this book made me want to sign up to teach English in some random countryside in China.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ~ sɪᴅᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ✿
Did I say that the romance was the best part of GOING THE DISTANCE? HAHA, no. Rose was. In fact, ALL of the students in Olivia's classroom were the best part of the book. Again, I loved the way JULIANA KEYES incorporated Olivia's job into GOING THE DISTANCE. It not only made for some great moments *cough* Red Riding Hood ft. Spiderman *cough*, but it also gave us a more well rounded view of Olivia's character. Also, Rose, Rose was the sweetest teacher's pet ever. She got me hype about pressing the button on the CD player, what a sticker worthy task ✨
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇʜ -ˏ͛⑅
✿ sʟᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ✿
As I mentioned earlier in the review one of my major ~niggles~ with GOING THE DISTANCE was the very slow start. It took me a full minute or two to get in the groove of the story. I needed a minute or five to really find the "path" that the book was going on. I was slow to warm up to the characters, I was slow to warm up to the overall mood of the book, and I was slow to finish it. It took me around five days to finish this book, which if you know me, is a lonnng time. If I like a book I'll read that bad boy in three days tops. However, I think once I got used to Olivia and Jarek's narration style and the overall ~ aesthetic ~ of GOING THE DISTANCE I was able to get lost in Lazhou, China right along side our MCs.
I guess this is more of a warning to anyone whose ~inspired~ by this review, and thus wants to go buy GOING THE DISTANCE. Just know, the beginning is a bit slow and it's not until about 10% in that the story truly captivates you. However, once you get into the story you will quickly become enamored with Jarek & Olivia's romance. Plus, Jarek is one of the best A-HOLE heroes I've had the pleasure of reading about in a long while.
✿ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ✿
❝There hasn’t been anyone else since I met you. I don’t want any other women because I’m in love with you.❞
Okay, let me preface this by saying, I liked the book, and the ending was fine. HOWEVER, however, I wanted more.
✨ brief spoilers ahead ✨
See, for the entire book Jarek and Olivia have pretty much been dating ~ except ~ Jarek was very reluctant to label or define their relationship. However, the best part is the entire time it's always been JAREK who kept progressing things. He would get jealous, or do nice things for her, or go on excursions with her. BUT THEN, he done goofs, hard. Let's just say Olivia overhears some things, and yeahhhh. I'm like 85% sure that was the main reason they call things off. Olivia then returns to the States, gets a teaching job, and is quite honestly. . . LiVinG hER bEst LiFE, as she should 😤👏✨. Jarek meanwhile manages to get his shit together and decides to go after her. They talk a little, he asks her on a real date, and the book finishes with them in an official relationship. the end.
NOW, what I described above is fine, quite honestly, it's nice, but at the same time I wanted a bit more. However, I actually wanted to see them as an official couple. This book ended on a definite HFN, and I think an epilogue would've tightened things up just a bit. Thus, this is another, well not warning, but another note. GOING THE DISTANCE doesn't have an epilogue and I think for this couple it would've been nice to see.
-ˏ͛⑅ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴏɴ ⑅ˏ͛-
✿ ғɪɴᴀʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ✿
ᴇᴅɪᴛ▸//▸ basically this whole section is my long winded way of saying, reading the f*cking book, but i digress. . .
GOING THE DISTANCE was such surprise hit for me and I'm honestly surprised more people here on GR don't know about this book. If you like your heroes with a bit of an edge then look no further than Jarek. He's got the brooding down pat, he's a bit of an asshole *cough* okay more like a lot of an asshole *cough*, and watching him fall hard for Olivia is such a joy to witness. Moreover, Olivia is a pretty great heroine. While she's a bit hard to connect with (at first) once her whole backstory is revealed her inner strength becomes more apparent. Olivia isn't afraid to ask for what she wants, and more importantly she's a heroine who, and say it with me people -
👏✨ knows 👏✨ her 👏✨worth 👏✨
*happy sighs* we love to see it! In addition, GOING THE DISTANCE expertly utilizes its setting. The town of Lazhou, China becomes an almost secondary character. I loved seeing Olivia navigate China as a foreigner and watching her come into her own was a beautiful thing to observe.
While there were a few things that didn't work for me (the slow start//my niggles about the ending) overall, I really liked GOING THE DISTANCE. Thus, I highly highly recommend that you guys check it out! PLUS, it's only two dollars and ninety-nine cents, ~what a bargain~
June 3, 2018
I guess Julianna Keyes's books aren't for everyone.
From my experience so far, her love stories tend to be a little more edgy than your usual fluffy romance. Complex yet intriguing characters, complicated relationship dynamics, frustrating but oh so sweet nonetheless.
That's probably what makes them so appealing to me: they feel real, genuine.
The funny thing is, this book's blurb didn't even appeal to me and I'm still not sure why I picked it up in the first place. Maybe because Keyes has been a solid 4 star author for me so far and I trusted her to deliver. And boy, did she ever.
As expected, Going the distance wasn't a cute and easy comfort read. The atmosphere was rather sober at its best, borderline gloomy at its worst, and while there definitely were quite a few scenes that had me giggling like a little girl (like the one where Jarek is introduced to Olivia's class, OMG), the overall tone was a rather serious one.
Loneliness, boredom and their status as outsiders in a strange country is what brings Olivia and Jarek together in the first place, after all. In the beginning, they don't seem to like each other that much, but they know their respective company is better than the alternative: being alone.
Jarek was a commitment phobe if I ever saw one. Whew, he was a piece of work, one I occasionally wanted to smack over the head for his hot-and-cold behavior and his overall routine of shutting everyone out. But I do have a soft spot for this kind of hero. I love to see their growth, taking baby steps to becoming more, to trust and care and feel, letting go of some of their rough edges and fears. It's an amazing, touching thing to witness, and it was with Jarek, too.
I loved how Olivia gradually wealesed her way into Jarek's heart, how she didn't take his antics personally but wouldn't put up with his crap, either. She was pretty awesome, not only due to the way she handled that grouch but also because she was a compassionate, strong heroine with a big sense of justice and an even bigger heart.
I enjoyed Keyes's depiction of the culture shock her characters went through, how different the Eastern and Western world still are, but also how neither is better or worse than the other.
Keyes's writing is amazing, her characters deep and fascinating, their dialogues meaningful, and while this book's pace was rather slow, I never felt the need to skim. Not once.
A thoroughly entertaining, oddly touching and unexpectedly sweet read.
Standalone?
Ending?
OW/OM?
Triggers?
November 7, 2019
I noticed on the shelf books like this a bunch of older romance and Anne Stuart comes up.
It's probably appropriate.
Look it's taking me weeks to finish books. I think this might be the first one in a couple (aside from the audio). I always wanted to come back to this with its particularly flawed and asshole hero, its lovely heroine (who I would've liked to see more of in a sense) and its unique setting. It's another commitment-phobe but in a really, really realistic way that is sometimes hard to swallow. Which I loved. Intense and engaging. Very Keyes.
It's probably appropriate.
Look it's taking me weeks to finish books. I think this might be the first one in a couple (aside from the audio). I always wanted to come back to this with its particularly flawed and asshole hero, its lovely heroine (who I would've liked to see more of in a sense) and its unique setting. It's another commitment-phobe but in a really, really realistic way that is sometimes hard to swallow. Which I loved. Intense and engaging. Very Keyes.
January 30, 2021
I am a reader adrift. A lot of what’s been tried and true isnt working right now. (I don’t know how I’m going to get through this Raybourn ARC.) So I’m sniffing through the back of the kindle - on the hunt for simple, alpha males. Jarek...isn’t that.
But here’s the thing - Keyes is brilliant. This is my third book by her, and so far they’ve all been incredible. I wanted a book that asked for nothing and gave a little. But I was completely willing to wade into this - an impulse that was rewarded within the first five pages.
Jarek, under other circumstances, would be intolerable. Unforgivable. Someone I wouldn’t want to read. Olivia would, in less deft hands, be unbearably Polly Perfect. An ingenue in need of a big strong man.
Instead we get the best version of what thousands of authors have struggled for and badly bungled.
This book wasn’t perfect, but it was awfully close.
But here’s the thing - Keyes is brilliant. This is my third book by her, and so far they’ve all been incredible. I wanted a book that asked for nothing and gave a little. But I was completely willing to wade into this - an impulse that was rewarded within the first five pages.
Jarek, under other circumstances, would be intolerable. Unforgivable. Someone I wouldn’t want to read. Olivia would, in less deft hands, be unbearably Polly Perfect. An ingenue in need of a big strong man.
Instead we get the best version of what thousands of authors have struggled for and badly bungled.
This book wasn’t perfect, but it was awfully close.
July 2, 2021
I really liked this and a first for me by this Author.
Olivia a kindergraden teacher at a temporary job in Lazhou. She speaks no Mandarin, has no real friends there. She has left her home in the US because something really crappy happened to her. I loved her, there are women who are chill and there are women who have chill. Olivia is the latter. She held her own and ran circles around this guy but not in an overdone sappy way.
Jarek works at construction nearby and there are very few expats so they meet in that way due to a few mutual ex pats. He's so gruff I loved it! not at all friendly, doesn't do relationships just hook ups. He is ex Army. It's very well written and realistic . I know very little about expats or even China but I thought this was really well done and created a really different backdrop.
The effect Olivia had on Jarek was just so cute, funny at times to see him struggle like taming a little kitten lol. His infatuation started off because she described her first orgasm with him as fine. God this heroine was brilliant!!
...All day he’d been thinking of Olivia describing the night as “fine,” and it made him want to pull out his hair. Fine? Fine? He’d felt her come on his hand. He knew she hadn’t faked it. But he knew with just as much certainty that she hadn’t been messing with him when she’d said it either. She meant it. It was fine. He’d done a fine job.
The fact that this guy was all hard and cold with other women but found himself obsessing that Olivia's ex was better than him in bed was so refreshingly different to a lot of the romance novels where its usually the heroine on the back foot and the hero made to be some sort of experienced sex god in the bedroom.
...And instead of wisely packing up his things and moving on, he couldn’t stop wondering how great her fiancé must have been in bed, and what he could do to be even better.
and let me tell you he messes up along the way but she doesn't let him off with anything and he is so remorseful its great to see him struggle with how he hated to hurt her!
...“I know I’m not your girlfriend,” she said, turning to look at him. Psychically sucker punching him when he saw the tears in her eyes. “And I know I’ve never done anything to suggest I thought I was. But it was really fucking humiliating to have you announce it to the bar, when everyone at the site knows we’re sleeping together. And it was really fucking humiliating to sit there for three hours and see them exchange little looks, like how I’m desperate or stupid or something, following you around when you don’t fucking want me.”
...She was the prettiest girl he’d ever been with, hands down, and he hated that he even noticed.
Olivia a kindergraden teacher at a temporary job in Lazhou. She speaks no Mandarin, has no real friends there. She has left her home in the US because something really crappy happened to her. I loved her, there are women who are chill and there are women who have chill. Olivia is the latter. She held her own and ran circles around this guy but not in an overdone sappy way.
Jarek works at construction nearby and there are very few expats so they meet in that way due to a few mutual ex pats. He's so gruff I loved it! not at all friendly, doesn't do relationships just hook ups. He is ex Army. It's very well written and realistic . I know very little about expats or even China but I thought this was really well done and created a really different backdrop.
The effect Olivia had on Jarek was just so cute, funny at times to see him struggle like taming a little kitten lol. His infatuation started off because she described her first orgasm with him as fine. God this heroine was brilliant!!
...All day he’d been thinking of Olivia describing the night as “fine,” and it made him want to pull out his hair. Fine? Fine? He’d felt her come on his hand. He knew she hadn’t faked it. But he knew with just as much certainty that she hadn’t been messing with him when she’d said it either. She meant it. It was fine. He’d done a fine job.
The fact that this guy was all hard and cold with other women but found himself obsessing that Olivia's ex was better than him in bed was so refreshingly different to a lot of the romance novels where its usually the heroine on the back foot and the hero made to be some sort of experienced sex god in the bedroom.
...And instead of wisely packing up his things and moving on, he couldn’t stop wondering how great her fiancé must have been in bed, and what he could do to be even better.
and let me tell you he messes up along the way but she doesn't let him off with anything and he is so remorseful its great to see him struggle with how he hated to hurt her!
...“I know I’m not your girlfriend,” she said, turning to look at him. Psychically sucker punching him when he saw the tears in her eyes. “And I know I’ve never done anything to suggest I thought I was. But it was really fucking humiliating to have you announce it to the bar, when everyone at the site knows we’re sleeping together. And it was really fucking humiliating to sit there for three hours and see them exchange little looks, like how I’m desperate or stupid or something, following you around when you don’t fucking want me.”
May 10, 2021
"He laughed then, and didn’t reply. He, Jarek McLean, the man who’d made a living getting answers, had none when it came to her."
January 31, 2019
(3.5 stars) Olivia Clarke is a pretty young American elementary school teacher at a temporary job in a school in the provincial Chinese city Lazhou. She speaks no Mandarin, has no friends in Lazhou and knows only a few fellow expats working for a small construction company building a travel agency there. And Olivia has a secret. She's running from something in her recent past.
Jarek McLean works for that construction company. He's gruff, taciturn, doesn't do friendly, isn't interested in relationships. And he has a past as an Army interrogator. It's a rough road to their HEA here. Jarek is a bit of a jerk and Olivia is a bit wounded. However, it's a well written and realistic journey for them. If you're like me, you'll be upset with jerky Jarek more than a few times but, you know, poor thing, he does have a troubled past.
But for me the best thing about this book is the setting. How often do you find a romance about American expats in China? And that part is well done. One of the secrets to writing success is to write about what you know and author Juliana Keyes has a stint as a teacher in China under her belt. I love the sections of the book about character Olivia's relationships with her students and with the Chinese teachers at the school in Lazhou. (She's the only foreigner there.) Just the bits about all the planning and preparation for Olivia's students' production of Little Red Riding Hood make this book worth the read.
Jarek McLean works for that construction company. He's gruff, taciturn, doesn't do friendly, isn't interested in relationships. And he has a past as an Army interrogator. It's a rough road to their HEA here. Jarek is a bit of a jerk and Olivia is a bit wounded. However, it's a well written and realistic journey for them. If you're like me, you'll be upset with jerky Jarek more than a few times but, you know, poor thing, he does have a troubled past.
But for me the best thing about this book is the setting. How often do you find a romance about American expats in China? And that part is well done. One of the secrets to writing success is to write about what you know and author Juliana Keyes has a stint as a teacher in China under her belt. I love the sections of the book about character Olivia's relationships with her students and with the Chinese teachers at the school in Lazhou. (She's the only foreigner there.) Just the bits about all the planning and preparation for Olivia's students' production of Little Red Riding Hood make this book worth the read.
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March 30, 2015
03/29/2015 --
I'll review this later. Another really good book from a "new to me" author. Enjoyed this one immensely. When you read the synopsis it may not appeal -- it really didn't to me, but she did such a nice job with "Time Served" that I wanted to see what she could do with a story that didn't appeal to me as much. I was impressed.
A bit edgy. I'm getting the feeling this is to be expected from Ms. Keyes. I'm so down with that!!
More later, but a solid 4 Stars.
Happy Reading!
I'll review this later. Another really good book from a "new to me" author. Enjoyed this one immensely. When you read the synopsis it may not appeal -- it really didn't to me, but she did such a nice job with "Time Served" that I wanted to see what she could do with a story that didn't appeal to me as much. I was impressed.
A bit edgy. I'm getting the feeling this is to be expected from Ms. Keyes. I'm so down with that!!
More later, but a solid 4 Stars.
Happy Reading!
February 10, 2015
☆ I received an RC via Irresistible Reada in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ☆
Going the Distance was an aesthetically pleasing, exotic, yet contemporary romance that really captivated me from the very beginning.
Imagine two people, in a strange world, trying to escape pangs of their pasts and make a go in a foreign country. What they did not expect to find, was themselves, closure, and everlasting true love.
I was honored to have been given the chance to have exposed to this work by Book Avenue by participating in the Promo Blitz; and for Irresistible Reada and Julianna Keyes for allowing this review opportunity and a part of the blog tour!
Thank you!
Julianna Keyes is definitely an author to be on the lookout for as she paints a vividly astounding world in the prefecture of Lanzhou, China-- where even when things may seem lonely and bleak, you may “go the distance” and forge on toward your future!
Over all, a great and lovely novel! My only complaint, if anything, was that I felt that both characters’ introductions to each other was kind of like ‘BAAM!!’ It was like from the moment you start the story, they already have their chance encounter. Definitely, made me think “wow, this story does not waste time”! Haha
Anyway, I definitely recommend to all you readers who come across this book!! One click this baby now!! You won't regret it!!
Going the Distance was an aesthetically pleasing, exotic, yet contemporary romance that really captivated me from the very beginning.
Imagine two people, in a strange world, trying to escape pangs of their pasts and make a go in a foreign country. What they did not expect to find, was themselves, closure, and everlasting true love.
I was honored to have been given the chance to have exposed to this work by Book Avenue by participating in the Promo Blitz; and for Irresistible Reada and Julianna Keyes for allowing this review opportunity and a part of the blog tour!
Thank you!
Julianna Keyes is definitely an author to be on the lookout for as she paints a vividly astounding world in the prefecture of Lanzhou, China-- where even when things may seem lonely and bleak, you may “go the distance” and forge on toward your future!
Over all, a great and lovely novel! My only complaint, if anything, was that I felt that both characters’ introductions to each other was kind of like ‘BAAM!!’ It was like from the moment you start the story, they already have their chance encounter. Definitely, made me think “wow, this story does not waste time”! Haha
Anyway, I definitely recommend to all you readers who come across this book!! One click this baby now!! You won't regret it!!
January 30, 2015
Wow! This book was really good! I couldn't put it down once I started it! Olivia is in China teaching English to kindergartners. She's kind of lonely, doesn't speak the language and has no friends there. Jarek is working as a carpenter in the same village Olivia is in and sees her working out at the gym. Jarek isn't looking for a girlfriend - he doesn't do girlfriends - but there is something about Olivia that catches his eye. I loved the relationship development between Jarek and Olivia. Jarek is kind of an ass and fights his feelings but Olivia is pretty awesome and isn't a pushover, she gives as good as she gets. I felt like she was a really strong female heroine. I also loved the setting of this book, the author does a fantastic job with her descriptions. My only complaint about this book is that I really wish there was an epilogue but that is more of a personal preference. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by this author!
February 10, 2024
Много сладка (по моите критерии) романтика за двама американски експати в Китай. Тя е детска учителка по обменна програма, той - военен. И двамата бягат от миналото си, за да си налетят и да си заформят не-връзка, която си е чиста връзка с много хаотични стъпки напред-назад. Доста реалистични (и суровички) са взаимоотношенията, без пухкава сладникавост и без кряскащи “послания”, които май всяка първа американска авторка на траш се чувства длъжна да разпъва, и забравя за историята си. Е, Китай не присъстваше кой знае колко, и някак не мисля, че някой с досието на героя лесно биха го пуснали там, но това са дребни подробности от пейзажа.
May 18, 2016
3.5
Achei que foi um romance bem legalzinho. Gostei muito da heroína, forte e decidida. A forma como o relacionamento dos dois foi se tornando algo a mais me pareceu bem realista e aprecio muito quando é assim. O que me fez baixar a nota foi o herói clichê com aversão ao compromisso. Estou meio que de saco cheio desse tipo de protagonista masculino.
Achei que foi um romance bem legalzinho. Gostei muito da heroína, forte e decidida. A forma como o relacionamento dos dois foi se tornando algo a mais me pareceu bem realista e aprecio muito quando é assim. O que me fez baixar a nota foi o herói clichê com aversão ao compromisso. Estou meio que de saco cheio desse tipo de protagonista masculino.
April 22, 2016
4.25 stars.
Julianna Keyes is becoming one of my go-to authors now
Julianna Keyes is becoming one of my go-to authors now
July 14, 2016
Julianna Keyes has wormed her way into my heart as an author who can deliver on all fronts, especially with the sort of characters that I love and can relate to. There are no magic solutions to problems that exists between the characters in her stories. Which is perhaps why I find it all so very realistic and convincing. Real life seldom sends your way the variety of men who one tends to encounter in most modern romances. Some of the heroes I encounter makes me want to take out a bodice ripper just so that I can read about a hero who might be an asshole, but still maintain some of those characteristics that are inherently male and yet so difficult to come across in stories of today. Which is why Julianna has become an author who is that much more precious to me. Because writers who stay true to where their characters take them are so hard to find now.
Going the Distance is a novel mostly set in the rural Chinese town of Lazhou and is told in the third person. Olivia Clark moves to the small rural town where she is practically a stranger as a kindergarten teacher. Olivia, while she craves the anonymity her position in a foreign land offers where few of the locals if ever can speak a word of English, the loneliness that she feels is a bone deep one. However, it was a step crucial to maintain her sanity from the recent past that had hurt her in a way she never thought possible. Her sole contact with people she can at least have a full conversation with comes from the crew of the Brant Construction site, which is how her path crosses that of Jarek Andrew McLean’s.
Jarek is a man who prefers to keep to himself. His previous occupation as an interrogator makes him more so, his childhood mired in violence that had left its mark on him making him taciturn at best. However, no matter how hard Jarek might try to stay away from Olivia, it turns out to be a lost cause as he becomes intrigued by the woman who does not seem to play by the rules that Jarek wants her to. Competing with the memory of an ex fiancé with whom Olivia had been with for more than half of her life is something that Jarek does not want to do, but finds himself dealing with the kind of emotions that he has never had problems with before.
As Jarek and Olivia enter into an affair which they both loosely agree would be done when their time in China comes to an end, both finds in the other the kind of healing that they didn’t believe they needed, but was exactly what their parched souls had been craving for. None of it comes easy, as it rightly should not. Real life is not made up of rainbows and unicorns and happily ever afters as we would like to think. It is messy, difficult and at times tiring, making you want to give up on the things that makes your life hellish. That is exactly what Going the Distance brings to readers, the ups and downs, the highs and lows and the beauty that emerges from all that chaos.
Julianna has a way of delivering just the right touch of angst that makes me such a diehard fan of her novels. This was such a beautiful story in the way it was told. There is no magic formula that stops the hero from becoming better, from conquering the shackles of his past that still binds him to it, nor is there one for the heroine to get over the loneliness, heartache and feeling of having being betrayed by those who should never have done so in the first place.
On the surface, both Jarek and Olivia might seem to be your average hero and heroine. He is taciturn and rude at times making you want to shake him up, sexy and commanding in a way that is subtle yet vivid. I’m finding that Julianna is a mastermind in creating heroes with just the right touch and I find Jarek to be no exception. While Olivia is beautiful and smart, there is a loneliness deep within her that she tries to hide from, the best she can. Meeting Jarek and feeling the spark of want for the first time in a year has her taking a chance on a man who panics the moment she kisses him. Yes, she takes the chance and does so. But Jarek has so many demons hounding him, he breaks out in sheer panic every single time he believes that he and Olivia are becoming close. One night stands are how he likes his women, informal transactions at best to scratch an itch from which he can walk away the moment he chooses to.
Jarek and Olivia’s “non-relationship” relationship is one that is filled with a lot of potholes which is the reason why it was such a swell read. I love angst of the kind delivered right and I believe that there are too few books these days that hits the right combination when it comes to it. I loved the fact that Jarek was the asshole of the year at first and gave Olivia such a hard time. And yet at the same time how he couldn’t help but be concerned about hurting her and trying to think up of ways to make amends. From the onset, he is smitten, yet unable to accept the truth. Which was realistic because he has never been in a position to offer anything more to a woman and never had he been tempted to, until Olivia.
The whole setup in China, living in a remote area of China not to say the least, where you don’t know of anyone, where people mostly just treat you to a polite hello and nothing more was driven home in the story. I visited China just once, and had the fortune of visiting some places mentioned in the story. While China got into my blood in a way I never would have thought possible and would love to revisit one day, I think it would take a lot of courage on the part of anyone to make such a bold decision and move to practically the middle of nowhere and start afresh. While I would have loved to see Olivia continue her tenure in the school where she eventually won the hearts and minds of the adorable kids she was teaching, I understood her decision to leave them behind even had it been a difficult one.
My message to Julianna is to never stop writing her characters as they are. Never give into the ‘accepted’ mold of the hero and heroine that is turning this beautiful genre into a mushy fest which sometimes I have a hard time not gagging over. But authors like Julianna makes me hopeful that there still exists a couple of authors out there who do the genre justice.
Absolutely recommended!
Rating = 4.75/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
Going the Distance is a novel mostly set in the rural Chinese town of Lazhou and is told in the third person. Olivia Clark moves to the small rural town where she is practically a stranger as a kindergarten teacher. Olivia, while she craves the anonymity her position in a foreign land offers where few of the locals if ever can speak a word of English, the loneliness that she feels is a bone deep one. However, it was a step crucial to maintain her sanity from the recent past that had hurt her in a way she never thought possible. Her sole contact with people she can at least have a full conversation with comes from the crew of the Brant Construction site, which is how her path crosses that of Jarek Andrew McLean’s.
Jarek is a man who prefers to keep to himself. His previous occupation as an interrogator makes him more so, his childhood mired in violence that had left its mark on him making him taciturn at best. However, no matter how hard Jarek might try to stay away from Olivia, it turns out to be a lost cause as he becomes intrigued by the woman who does not seem to play by the rules that Jarek wants her to. Competing with the memory of an ex fiancé with whom Olivia had been with for more than half of her life is something that Jarek does not want to do, but finds himself dealing with the kind of emotions that he has never had problems with before.
As Jarek and Olivia enter into an affair which they both loosely agree would be done when their time in China comes to an end, both finds in the other the kind of healing that they didn’t believe they needed, but was exactly what their parched souls had been craving for. None of it comes easy, as it rightly should not. Real life is not made up of rainbows and unicorns and happily ever afters as we would like to think. It is messy, difficult and at times tiring, making you want to give up on the things that makes your life hellish. That is exactly what Going the Distance brings to readers, the ups and downs, the highs and lows and the beauty that emerges from all that chaos.
Julianna has a way of delivering just the right touch of angst that makes me such a diehard fan of her novels. This was such a beautiful story in the way it was told. There is no magic formula that stops the hero from becoming better, from conquering the shackles of his past that still binds him to it, nor is there one for the heroine to get over the loneliness, heartache and feeling of having being betrayed by those who should never have done so in the first place.
On the surface, both Jarek and Olivia might seem to be your average hero and heroine. He is taciturn and rude at times making you want to shake him up, sexy and commanding in a way that is subtle yet vivid. I’m finding that Julianna is a mastermind in creating heroes with just the right touch and I find Jarek to be no exception. While Olivia is beautiful and smart, there is a loneliness deep within her that she tries to hide from, the best she can. Meeting Jarek and feeling the spark of want for the first time in a year has her taking a chance on a man who panics the moment she kisses him. Yes, she takes the chance and does so. But Jarek has so many demons hounding him, he breaks out in sheer panic every single time he believes that he and Olivia are becoming close. One night stands are how he likes his women, informal transactions at best to scratch an itch from which he can walk away the moment he chooses to.
Jarek and Olivia’s “non-relationship” relationship is one that is filled with a lot of potholes which is the reason why it was such a swell read. I love angst of the kind delivered right and I believe that there are too few books these days that hits the right combination when it comes to it. I loved the fact that Jarek was the asshole of the year at first and gave Olivia such a hard time. And yet at the same time how he couldn’t help but be concerned about hurting her and trying to think up of ways to make amends. From the onset, he is smitten, yet unable to accept the truth. Which was realistic because he has never been in a position to offer anything more to a woman and never had he been tempted to, until Olivia.
The whole setup in China, living in a remote area of China not to say the least, where you don’t know of anyone, where people mostly just treat you to a polite hello and nothing more was driven home in the story. I visited China just once, and had the fortune of visiting some places mentioned in the story. While China got into my blood in a way I never would have thought possible and would love to revisit one day, I think it would take a lot of courage on the part of anyone to make such a bold decision and move to practically the middle of nowhere and start afresh. While I would have loved to see Olivia continue her tenure in the school where she eventually won the hearts and minds of the adorable kids she was teaching, I understood her decision to leave them behind even had it been a difficult one.
My message to Julianna is to never stop writing her characters as they are. Never give into the ‘accepted’ mold of the hero and heroine that is turning this beautiful genre into a mushy fest which sometimes I have a hard time not gagging over. But authors like Julianna makes me hopeful that there still exists a couple of authors out there who do the genre justice.
Absolutely recommended!
Rating = 4.75/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
October 28, 2015
This is a wonderful story about two very flawed, very lonely people in rural China who come together as a means to get some human contact, and then choose each other again when their isolation is removed. This is what a contemporary adult romance should be like. I'm all for the fantasy of billionaire CEOs and disguised princesses (sometimes), but nothing beats this - real people with real problems and real reactions, who supremely mess up, embarrass each other, have ugly fights, and are still able to care for the other and express themselves.
This is not a perfect story (how many stories out there are?) but it has enough ingredients to keep me invested in the growth of each character. Jarek is a self-proclaimed asshole; he really is one, not a watered down, misunderstood soul. His assholery is abundant in these pages. He is rude, nosy, moody, dislikes people in general, tells his girlfriend to shut up, doesn't care for kids and shows it, and doesn't have any friends, which is no surprise. But he's learning how not to be an asshole. And that is why the reader cares for him. We might not like him but we sure as hell can empathize with him. Olivia is a good girl, but she's not a Mary Sue and she's not a pushover, which helps her deal with the unreliable Jarek. And most importantly, Olivia learns to count on herself more than anyone else. The sense of isolation both characters feel is also brilliantly portrayed. Despite the fact that their actions can be frustrating sometimes, we end up caring about them.
Some readers might find this story understated, or even slow. Yes, nothing BIG happens. There isn't a long list of secondary characters or long-winded angsty moments, no flowery speeches or big gestures proclaiming everlasting love (sort of). There are just little moments of learning in the interactions between our two leads. The conflict is entirely internal and its resolution is, too.
The backdrops of rural and urban China are brilliantly set up. The author's beautiful writing makes China come alive as a character in its own right. This is my third Julianna Keyes book, and it's easily my favourite.
This is not a perfect story (how many stories out there are?) but it has enough ingredients to keep me invested in the growth of each character. Jarek is a self-proclaimed asshole; he really is one, not a watered down, misunderstood soul. His assholery is abundant in these pages. He is rude, nosy, moody, dislikes people in general, tells his girlfriend to shut up, doesn't care for kids and shows it, and doesn't have any friends, which is no surprise. But he's learning how not to be an asshole. And that is why the reader cares for him. We might not like him but we sure as hell can empathize with him. Olivia is a good girl, but she's not a Mary Sue and she's not a pushover, which helps her deal with the unreliable Jarek. And most importantly, Olivia learns to count on herself more than anyone else. The sense of isolation both characters feel is also brilliantly portrayed. Despite the fact that their actions can be frustrating sometimes, we end up caring about them.
Some readers might find this story understated, or even slow. Yes, nothing BIG happens. There isn't a long list of secondary characters or long-winded angsty moments, no flowery speeches or big gestures proclaiming everlasting love (sort of). There are just little moments of learning in the interactions between our two leads. The conflict is entirely internal and its resolution is, too.
The backdrops of rural and urban China are brilliantly set up. The author's beautiful writing makes China come alive as a character in its own right. This is my third Julianna Keyes book, and it's easily my favourite.
May 8, 2021
4.5 stars
September 22, 2015
The characters, the plot-line, the writing nothing really clicked for me and I didn't feel the romance.
April 18, 2022
Puedes encontrar esta reseña en español al final.
It pains me to call this story a romance. If it is, it will be one of the worst I've ever read, if it isn't, the story is very interesting. So, a pity, because the author has clung to the romance until the end and has hardly left room to be able to take this reading as an interesting study in human behavior instead. Everything would have been easier without the happy(?) ending.
I loved the characters, they have been complex and full of failures and faults, like in real life. And the relationship between the MCs works because the author masterfully draws the perfect scenario for it to unfold. That was flawless. As were the other relationships that exist between the rest of the characters. But everything falls apart with the romance. I say it again: a pity.
It's the romance that turns Jarek, the hero, into a despicable human being, with a ton of problems that won't let him lead a healthy emotional life. The revenge plot, for lack of better words, is vile, it is premeditated, and above all, it is carried out with a coldness that is frightening. Nothing redeems this character. Although it's not like the author is trying hard either. It has been uncomfortable to read.
I liked Olivia. She is neither strong nor determined, as I like my heroines to be, but the author does a fantastic job describing her and she seemed realistic to me. I understood her. She thought that (this time) everything would work out for her, but no. Because of the romance. And she ended up being a character without self-esteem and fainthearted.
After spending the entire book trying not to get put off the story by the everlasting (and very abundant) sex scenes, the revenge plot took on an even more horrifying meaning because of them.
This is one of those happy endings that don't hold up. It is impossible to overcome that revenge. Especially since it wasn't the first time it happened, so it won't be the last either.
As said, a pity.
***
Me duele llamar a esta historia un romance. Si lo es, será uno de los más chungos que he leído en mi vida, si no lo es, la historia es muy interesante. Una pena, porque la autora se ha agarrado al romance como a un clavo ardiendo, y no ha dejado apenas un resquicio para poder tomarse esta lectura como un interesante estudio del comportamiento humano. Todo hubiese sido más fácil sin el final (¿)feliz(?).
Me han gustado los personajes, han sido complejos y llenos de fallos y faltas, como la vida misma. Y la relación que mantienen los protagonistas funciona porque la autora dibuja con maestría el escenario perfecto para que se desarrolle. No le puedo poner una pega. Ni a ninguna de las otras relaciones que se dan entre el resto de personajes. Pero todo se viene abajo con el romance. Lo digo de nuevo: una pena.
Es el romance el que convierte a Jarek, el héroe, en un ser despreciable, con una tonelada de problemas que no lo van a dejar llevar una vida emocional sana. La venganza por llamarla de alguna manera, es vil, es premeditada y, sobre todo, la lleva a cabo con una frialdad que da miedo. Nada redime a este personaje. Tampoco es que la autora lo intente con ganas. Ha sido incómodo de leer.
Me ha gustado Olivia. No es una heroína fuerte o decidida, como me gustan, pero la autora hace un gran trabajo describiéndola y me ha parecido realista. La he entendido. Pensaba que (esta vez) todo le saldría bien, pero no. Porque llegó el romance. Y acabó siendo un personaje sin autoestima y pusilánime.
Después de estar todo el libro intentando que las eternas (y muy abundantes) escenas de sexo no me apartaran de la historia, la venganza toma un sentido aún más horripilante gracias a ellas.
Este es uno de esos finales felices que no se sostienen. Es imposible superar esa venganza. Sobre todo porque no fue la primera vez que pasaba, por lo que tampoco será la última.
Lo dicho, una pena.
It pains me to call this story a romance. If it is, it will be one of the worst I've ever read, if it isn't, the story is very interesting. So, a pity, because the author has clung to the romance until the end and has hardly left room to be able to take this reading as an interesting study in human behavior instead. Everything would have been easier without the happy(?) ending.
I loved the characters, they have been complex and full of failures and faults, like in real life. And the relationship between the MCs works because the author masterfully draws the perfect scenario for it to unfold. That was flawless. As were the other relationships that exist between the rest of the characters. But everything falls apart with the romance. I say it again: a pity.
It's the romance that turns Jarek, the hero, into a despicable human being, with a ton of problems that won't let him lead a healthy emotional life. The revenge plot, for lack of better words, is vile, it is premeditated, and above all, it is carried out with a coldness that is frightening. Nothing redeems this character. Although it's not like the author is trying hard either. It has been uncomfortable to read.
I liked Olivia. She is neither strong nor determined, as I like my heroines to be, but the author does a fantastic job describing her and she seemed realistic to me. I understood her. She thought that (this time) everything would work out for her, but no. Because of the romance. And she ended up being a character without self-esteem and fainthearted.
After spending the entire book trying not to get put off the story by the everlasting (and very abundant) sex scenes, the revenge plot took on an even more horrifying meaning because of them.
This is one of those happy endings that don't hold up. It is impossible to overcome that revenge. Especially since it wasn't the first time it happened, so it won't be the last either.
As said, a pity.
***
Me duele llamar a esta historia un romance. Si lo es, será uno de los más chungos que he leído en mi vida, si no lo es, la historia es muy interesante. Una pena, porque la autora se ha agarrado al romance como a un clavo ardiendo, y no ha dejado apenas un resquicio para poder tomarse esta lectura como un interesante estudio del comportamiento humano. Todo hubiese sido más fácil sin el final (¿)feliz(?).
Me han gustado los personajes, han sido complejos y llenos de fallos y faltas, como la vida misma. Y la relación que mantienen los protagonistas funciona porque la autora dibuja con maestría el escenario perfecto para que se desarrolle. No le puedo poner una pega. Ni a ninguna de las otras relaciones que se dan entre el resto de personajes. Pero todo se viene abajo con el romance. Lo digo de nuevo: una pena.
Es el romance el que convierte a Jarek, el héroe, en un ser despreciable, con una tonelada de problemas que no lo van a dejar llevar una vida emocional sana. La venganza por llamarla de alguna manera, es vil, es premeditada y, sobre todo, la lleva a cabo con una frialdad que da miedo. Nada redime a este personaje. Tampoco es que la autora lo intente con ganas. Ha sido incómodo de leer.
Me ha gustado Olivia. No es una heroína fuerte o decidida, como me gustan, pero la autora hace un gran trabajo describiéndola y me ha parecido realista. La he entendido. Pensaba que (esta vez) todo le saldría bien, pero no. Porque llegó el romance. Y acabó siendo un personaje sin autoestima y pusilánime.
Después de estar todo el libro intentando que las eternas (y muy abundantes) escenas de sexo no me apartaran de la historia, la venganza toma un sentido aún más horripilante gracias a ellas.
Este es uno de esos finales felices que no se sostienen. Es imposible superar esa venganza. Sobre todo porque no fue la primera vez que pasaba, por lo que tampoco será la última.
Lo dicho, una pena.
April 5, 2021
This book was totally unexpected from an author new to me. Hard to get into at first and not really sure I was gonna stick with it. But glad I did because then I didn't want to stop reading until I was finished. Romantic drama with plenty of steamy heat. The author made this couple work so hard to for their chance at happiness I was a little disappointed at the abrupt ending. I wanted a much longer glimpse of the HEA. But it was certainly worth the read.
April 12, 2015
The book was very well written, atmospheric true to life in China as an expat.
As a romance it didn't work for me though. The H was emotionally stunted, as an ex-army interrogator who used torture in his job and even liked it, plus terrible parents, he had every right to be messed up. I truly believe this was a guy meant to be one of the single ones till the end.
Honestly while the H/h were good in bed together and the h challenged him and didn't take any of his crap, they didn't have any fun together, being with the H didn't make the h happier or a better person or stronger or anything. I just believe the h was so desperately lonely that she settled for having what little the H could give her. The h is one of those women who don't do well alone, never having been really alone before in her life.
I just couldn't believe in the HEA, the book being equally in the h and H's POV, I honestly felt the h could do better. She could have found a guy who wasn't so moody, secretive, hot and cold, irritable, bad with people and just put a cloud on everything. She deserved someone a bit more sunny and well-adjusted.
The book would have been a 1 or 2 starrer if not for the authenticity of setting. That part just took my breath away! It was like really being there! Major and minor details were just so right that I suspect the author actually lived in China - she gets details about their food, weather,hospitality, value-system,education system, noise,geography, transport system etc. so right that it is impossible otherwise. I'm a huge sucker for an author who has done their research so the 3 stars is mainly for that, even though like I said ultimately that the H was wrong for the h, for any kind of romantic relationship really, and she could do much much better.
As a romance it didn't work for me though. The H was emotionally stunted, as an ex-army interrogator who used torture in his job and even liked it, plus terrible parents, he had every right to be messed up. I truly believe this was a guy meant to be one of the single ones till the end.
Honestly while the H/h were good in bed together and the h challenged him and didn't take any of his crap, they didn't have any fun together, being with the H didn't make the h happier or a better person or stronger or anything. I just believe the h was so desperately lonely that she settled for having what little the H could give her. The h is one of those women who don't do well alone, never having been really alone before in her life.
I just couldn't believe in the HEA, the book being equally in the h and H's POV, I honestly felt the h could do better. She could have found a guy who wasn't so moody, secretive, hot and cold, irritable, bad with people and just put a cloud on everything. She deserved someone a bit more sunny and well-adjusted.
The book would have been a 1 or 2 starrer if not for the authenticity of setting. That part just took my breath away! It was like really being there! Major and minor details were just so right that I suspect the author actually lived in China - she gets details about their food, weather,hospitality, value-system,education system, noise,geography, transport system etc. so right that it is impossible otherwise. I'm a huge sucker for an author who has done their research so the 3 stars is mainly for that, even though like I said ultimately that the H was wrong for the h, for any kind of romantic relationship really, and she could do much much better.
August 4, 2015
3.5 Stars. I really liked this story, but not as much as the 'Time Served' books. Part of it was the lack of a strong secondary storyline like that series contained; another part was that Jarek was an unrelenting asshole right up until the end of the book. It was hard to find much empathy for him. Also, the reason behind Olivia running away to China I found a bit weak and not particularly realistic.
I did enjoy the read, however; and recommend it to fans of Keyes work.
I did enjoy the read, however; and recommend it to fans of Keyes work.
May 18, 2015
I just glommed the author's backlist and eagerly await any future releases. LOVED this one!!
April 29, 2016
Another one from this author that I really enjoyed. I just wish there was a little confrontation with certain individuals to clear the air.
June 3, 2023
The only time I will root for an emotionally stunned man is this time only, DON'T CHECK ME.
What is it about fictional asshole men that just warm your heart and make you want to make them warm meals and smother them with love? in real life, I am like a man? Jail.
This one was a recommendation and I am so glad I discovered this author and came across this little cutie!!!
Olivia and Jarek were more or less kind of two peas in a pod. I never really felt like there was any couple who are more in tune with each other despite all their differences. The story of Olivia kind of hit me hard because of her experience in a new country and the loneliness that accompanies uprooting your life in hopes for a better second chance resonated so much with me. I love this author's way of conveying the characters' feelings and emotions without making it too "shrink-y". Despite how emotionally stunned Jarek was behaving I really loved his character. I loved how he was written. tbh, it was a very enjoyable read and gave everything without being too much and a perfect read after the book hangover I had from reading Happy Place.
What is it about fictional asshole men that just warm your heart and make you want to make them warm meals and smother them with love? in real life, I am like a man? Jail.
This one was a recommendation and I am so glad I discovered this author and came across this little cutie!!!
Olivia and Jarek were more or less kind of two peas in a pod. I never really felt like there was any couple who are more in tune with each other despite all their differences. The story of Olivia kind of hit me hard because of her experience in a new country and the loneliness that accompanies uprooting your life in hopes for a better second chance resonated so much with me. I love this author's way of conveying the characters' feelings and emotions without making it too "shrink-y". Despite how emotionally stunned Jarek was behaving I really loved his character. I loved how he was written. tbh, it was a very enjoyable read and gave everything without being too much and a perfect read after the book hangover I had from reading Happy Place.
November 28, 2021
I'm struggling with how to rate this book. Some aspects were awesome, but others were awful. I really liked Olivia and how strong she was. I loved the descriptions of China and I laughed at her kindergarten class. But Jarek was a jerk and he did not redeem himself by the end. At all. It can be fun to read about jerks and how they get their comeuppance, but this guy was so effing awful. It was fine until his "revenge" for the perceived slight. It was so so awful and it showcased him perfectly as a damaged individual who should not be entering into relationships with people until he sorts himself out. I have no idea why she took him back, she deserves so much better.
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